H&M

Profile

Nowhere does high style meet mass market more thoroughly than at H&M, the Swedish clothing giant that invaded US shores in 1998. With a penchant for knocking off couture runway looks—and selling them with middling quality at bargain basement prices, H&M is an easy place to find an outfit that lasts exactly a season, or just long enough for it to fade from style. The ten H&M stores in Manhattan are uniformly bright, with giant mannequins displaying the latest looks and house music thumping throughout; notoriously crowded dressing rooms are, unfortunately, a staple at all locations, thanks to the brand's popularity with tourists and bargain-hunting locals. With new shipments of clothes coming in weekly, frequent H&M shoppers offer this word of advice: If you see something you like, buy it immediately. The best, trendy stuff disappears for good in a matter of days. — Faran Alexis Krentcil

Related Stories

Best of New York Awards

• Best Bargain T-Shirts (2003)